Information Science (ISCI)

ISCI 1000 Information, Technology and Digital Society — 4 credits

This course is an introduction to the field of information science and informatics. Students with any major, especially those with majors in the liberal arts and social sciences will find this particularly helpful in gaining an overview of how information technology influences different fields and industries. Students will gain useful insights and learn about applications of how information and data is used in many sectors. It is a foundational course for students entering a minor in Information Systems or in Digital Humanities.
This course is also designed to help students with the comprehensive digital information literacy requirements needed for higher education, with an emphasis on the concepts and practice skills germane to effectively using the power built into computer and Internet applications as well as other digital media and technologies. Students will explore the nature of information itself, critical issues surrounding the use of technologies and how such issues impact everyday life through critical thinking and reflection. Topics will include the underlying designs and uses of digital devices and computer systems such as MS Office suite and the Internet as an integral part of any IT curriculum helping students prepare for other technology-intensive IS courses.

ISCI 1200 Web Design — 4 credits

This course is intended to provide a basic introduction to website design and development techniques, using standard languages such as HTML and CSS, and established user experience design (UX) principles and techniques. Students will create a website with an understanding of user's needs and taking a user-centered design approach. Students gain a basic understanding of web content languages, website management, and design, usability principles and information architecture through creating websites validated by World Wide Web Consortium standards. It is a project based course that students will learn through hands-on activity of website design building.
At the same time, the course is intended to stimulate student critical thinking about social and justice issues where online technology is either of primary concern (e.g. the Digital Divide, Net Neutrality, and Open Source software) or is used as an important tool (e.g. Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring movement, the Black Lives Matter movement, and recent political campaigns). Special attention is paid to underrepresented and disadvantaged communities, and their access to communication and educational technology. Prerequisite: None.

ISCI 1300 Intro to iPhone/iPad App Dev — 4 credits

Students will create simple apps for the iPhone and iPad while learning fundamental programming principles and practices using Swift, Apple's new programming language. They will learn how to take an app from design through to implementation using the industry-standard tools and techniques used to make apps for the App Store. This course will cover design guidelines, prototyping techniques, problem-solving strategies, interface building tools, coding, and debugging. The curriculum is designed to blend and balance creativity with technology. No previous programming experience is necessary. However, learning to program computers is intellectually challenging and does require considerable dedication and hard work.

ISCI 4684 Directed Study — 4 credits

Directed study is provided for students whose unusual circumstances prohibit taking a regularly scheduled course but who need the material of that course to satisfy a requirement. Availability of this faculty-directed learning experience depends on faculty time and may be limited in any given term and restricted to certain courses. Prerequisites: Faculty, department chair and dean approval.

ISCI 4900 Capstone in Information Science and Technology — 4 credits

This course is required for those students in the Information Science and Technology degree programs, including the Digital Humanities (DH) and Information Systems (IS) minors as a culminating learning experience in the final year. It intends to help students integrate the knowledge and skills in information technology and/or digital tools gained through the curriculum and be able to apply these to a real life problem or new research question. Students will gain experience working on a project where they can apply technology to make a positive impact in their community and demonstrate their ability to carry out an information systems/ digital humanities project from beginning to end.
The project can be done as an individual or a group project. Students may also revise, expand and modify a project they created in other courses to produce an improved product of professional quality.
Prerequisites: Senior standing. For students in the Information Systems minor or Digital Humanities minor only.